HC to govt: Set up another panel to look into fare hike

Taking exception to the government’s decision to hike auto and taxi tariffs in the city on the recommendations of one retired civil servant, the Bombay high court on Friday instructed the state to set up another committee, consisting of members from diverse fields, and “look into the legitimacy of this hike”. HT reports.

Taking exception to the government’s decision to hike auto and taxi tariffs in the city on the recommendations of one retired civil servant, the Bombay high court on Friday instructed the state to set up another committee, consisting of members from diverse fields, and “look into the legitimacy of this hike”.

The hike, which came into effect on Thursday, is the steepest that the city has seen.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, which has challenged the government resolution that accepts the recommendations of the Hakim committee.

The petitioner’s advocate, Uday Warunjikar, argued that Hakim is not an expert in the field. PMA Hakim was a transport secretary with the Union government.

Such a job cannot be entrusted to one man, the division bench of justice DY Chandra-chud and justice AA Sayed said, and asked the government to set up a permanent mechanism to deal with such matters instead of making ad-hoc arrangements when unions threaten with strike.